The Gods That Walk Among Us
by moxymike
Summary: Hiyori Iki is a half human, half phantom who spends her time helping minor god, Yato, and his regalia, Yukine, in their godly adventures. Life is a bit different in the world of the Far Shore, but the dangers are real. After a run in with a vengeful Nora, Hiyori wonders if she can ever return to the human world, or if she even wants to... Adorable nonsense to ensue
1. The Next Stage in Life

*** Note ***

 _This fanfiction is based off the manga/anime series Noragami by Adachitoka but is not actually associated with or reflective of any plot elements from the series. Beware of spoilers._

Hello! This is my second Anime/Manga fanfiction. I also have a Fairy Tail fanfiction published (currently only NaLu, but others will be following shortly). I'm a little distressed that it was so short since I fell in love with it instantly. Also, I stink at summaries so just ignore that. This is a fanfiction that probably will eventually have a lemon and will have a few arcs as well (I like the arc story style). This is not a oneshot. More chapters to be posted soon! If you have any suggestions or see any glaring grammar or spelling errors I missed, feel free to let me know. Thanks!

*** Chapter 1 ***

Hi! My name is Hiyori Iki. I am a senior in high school, currently preparing for graduation and exams. I work part time at a pet store and the other time for a man named Yato. Well, man is a little inaccurate. He's actually kind of a god, and he doesn't really pay me. Oh yeah, and I'm also not totally human. I am a half phantom, half human girl. Ever since I saved Yato from getting hit by a bus, I've had this problem where I separate from my human body, grow a tail, and I'm suddenly a phantom. My actual body just falls asleep. Sometimes it makes things difficult since it's hard to control, and I fall asleep in random places…. Because of this, I can't actually go to college, so instead I've enrolled in an online program. Currently I live with my parents, but they've talked about buying me a flat in the city so I'll be closer to the pet store I work at. If I do, Yukino and Yato have expressed interest in moving in with me. If only they could promise to pay rent... Anyways, Yukino is my best friend and Yato well...

Kofuku: He's your boyfriend!

Hiyori *blushes*: What? No, he's not!

Kofuku: He likes you. You like him. I promise not to be too jealous.

Daikoku: You have all the man you need right here.

Kofuku *swoons*: The four of us should go on a double date sometime!

Daikoku: That's a brilliant idea milady!

Hiyori *sighs*: Please stop encouraging her...

I woke up for my last day of school feeling renewed. This was it. Then I was free to spend most of my time with Yato and Yukine. I stretched out my arms and was surprised when I hit warm flesh. Wait a minute... I opened one eye and saw Yato lying next to me. I jumped up in surprise, causing him to wake up as well. He cried out and leaped out of my hitting distance.

"Agh, don't hurt me! I came here to tell you something, I swear. I was just going to wait until you woke up because you're such a ... er... peaceful sleeper, but I guess I fell asleep myself," he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. I suppressed a grin as he reddened.

"Anyways, what did you want to tell me?" I inquired, and he looked thoughtful.

"Ergh, I don't remember now. Must not have been that important. Anyways, do well on your last exams. The three of us should celebrate tonight at Kofuku's," he suggested, waving goodbye as he jumped out the window before I could respond.

"Thank you, Yato," I muttered, smiling, before getting out of bed and starting to get ready. I dressed in my usual clothes, a grey pea coat and salmon scarf over my uniform. The last day I would have to wear this uniform. I was looking forward to the celebration as I made my way to school with my schoolbag. I greeted my school friends, both more emotional at the end of this period in their life than excited. I might have been in their place had it not been for the fact that my life was a bit different from the average teenager's. Once we finished the exam, they invited me out to get some food, but I smelled a familiar scent waiting around the corner.

"Sorry, we'll catch up later, I promise!" I called to them, unsure if I would keep the promise, as I hurried to meet up with Yato and Yukine. I heard one of them mumble something about me going to see my secret "boyfriend", but I ignored them. Yato was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, while Yukine was reading a book.

"Hey Hiyori," Yukine greeted me, smiling as I approached. Yato jerked up at his words and looked at me.

"Oh, hey Hiyori. We were just protecting your school so no phantoms snuck in and ruined exam day," he lied, and I smiled. Yukine rolled his eyes and put his book away.

"Anyways, what's in our plan for today?" I asked, and they both shrugged.

"I told Kofuku we should have a party, so she freaked out and her and Daikoku are getting everything ready. They told us not to head that way until about 7pm, though, so I guess we have some free time," Yato explained, and I smiled, linking my arms with theirs and pulling them down the street with me.

"Fine, how about we get some lunch for now, then? I'm hungry," I confessed, knowing they wouldn't be opposed to it. We arrived at the diner and took our seats, once again surprising the waitress with the two boys she didn't notice before.

"How was your exams?" Yato asked after the waitress walked away with our order.

"Well, I know I passed them. I already got into college so it doesn't really matter that much," I explained to them, and Yukine looked intrigued.

"College?" he inquired, and I nodded.

"It's usually the next stage in a young person's life. They go to high school, graduate, and then go to college to figure out their career. I didn't know what I wanted to do until I started helping you, Yukine. Then I realized I wanted to be a teacher," I informed him, and he nodded in agreement.

"Teaching would be good for you. Maybe you could start teaching Yato," he teased, and the god looked offended, but his expression quickly changed as the waitress set the food on the table. There wasn't much more discussion as we ate, though Yato grumbled about this and that. When the time for the bill came around, I expected to pay it, but Yukine put his hand up. "For once let us buy. Yato, how much do we got?"

Yato shook his head aggressively, and Yukine reached into his jacket, pulling out a near empty bottle of coins.

"Yato… what happened to all of our money? This is why I hide my income from you," Yukine growled, grinding his teeth, and Yato sighed.

"You'll see tonight at the party," he mumbled, and Yukine looked over at me in annoyance. I laughed, pulling out my wallet and paying the bill. Once we were outside, I received a call from my mother.

"Hi honey, I was just calling to see your plans tonight," she inquired.

"Well, a couple of my friends wanted to have a celebration of my graduation at seven."

"That's fine. Your father and I just wanted some nice pictures of the three of us as a family as a celebration of your graduation. Then you can just go to the party in your nice clothes. We also have a present for you," she gushed, and I repressed a sigh.

"Sure, I'll be home in a few minutes!" I told her, and she squealed in excitement before hanging up. I looked up at Yato and Yukine who waited for an update. "My parents want me home for a few pictures, but then I'll be good to go to the party."

"We'll come with you. Not like your parents can see us anyways," Yato offered, and I blushed. It would be weird having him there and having to ignore him while I was interacting with my family. Yukine seemed to understand because he grabbed Yato by the arm and dragged him away.

"We'll pick you up at 6:30, Hiyori," he called to me, and I grinned at Yato's confused expression. When I got home, I was surprised by my parents waiting at the door. My mom ushered me with her into my bedroom. Laying on my bed was a brand new kimono. It was gorgeous. My eyes lit up as I picked up the soft pink fabric, accented in white and pastel purple. My mother helped me get dressed, braiding flowers into my hair until she determined I was complete. The picture process didn't take very long as they only wanted to snap a few.

"Our daughter is all grown up and what a beautiful young girl she is," my mother beamed, and I reddened. I looked out the window and saw Yato and Yukine hopping over the front gate.

"Thanks mom and dad! I'm going to be off now!" I called, not giving them a chance to say anything as I walked out the front door. Yato and Yukine froze as they took me in.

"Hiyori, you look…" Yato stammered, and I blushed under his gaze. "… like a girl."

Yukine choked on a laugh, and I glared at Yato.

"I always look like a girl," I hissed, and Yato reddened.

"I'm sorry. I know. I just meant you looked…" he trailed off, and Yukine came to his rescue.

"You look beautiful Hiyori," he finished.

"Not that you don't always look beautiful," Yato defended as if I'd get mad again, and I just rolled my eyes.

"Let's just go before you keep talking," I groaned, and Yukine smiled apologetically. The sun had just set, and an eerie chill seemed to settle on the world, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. Yato must have sensed it, too, because he glanced around.

"Hiyori look out!" he cried and tackled me as a phantom struck right where I was standing. I was pinned to the ground beneath him, our bodies inches apart, and I blushed. His eyes were locked on mine, and he seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Uh… Yato," Yukine interrupted our moment as he drew a borderline between us and the phantom.

"Right," Yato breathed, jumping off of me. "Sekki!"

Yukine transformed into the duel blades, and the borderline faded. He jumped into action while I got onto my feet to help him. A pink shape flickered in the corner of my view, and I looked to see my tail. I looked down at my body and groaned. I was hoping I could at least make it to Kofuku's before I separated. At least I could fight better in this form. Just as he finished taking down the one phantom, two more rounded the corner. I distracted them for a moment while Yato got into position to attack. The world was soon silent again, and I sighed in relief.

"You lost your body, Hiyori," Yukine noted once Yato turned him back.

"Yeah, Yato, can you carry it to Kofuku?" I asked, and he reddened but nodded. He picked me up into his arms, and I found it weird to watch him carrying me. Weird, but it was cute how gentle and awkward he was. I realized I had been staring to long when he gave me a look.

"No funny business, I promise," he assured me, and I smiled. My stomach warmed, and I tried to quell the feelings growing inside of me. They were dangerous, and I certainly wasn't prepared to deal with them.


	2. These Happy Tears

*** Note ***

This is the second chapter. I am leading into my first arc: The Fall of Yato. The chapters will start to get longer, I promise. I have most of the next few chapters planned. Enjoy!

*** Chapter 2 ***

" _Hiyoriiiii_ ," a voice cried in excitement as we approached Kofuku's place. I didn't have time to brace myself as I was tackled to the ground by a girl with pink hair. Daikoku walked out behind her and smiled as we approached.

"Congratulations on your graduation, Hiyori," he greeted me, and I thanked him from beneath Kofuku who was gushing about how pretty I looked. Yato brought my body inside and set it in Yukine's study room. Mayu and Kazuma waved at me from inside the house, and I darted towards them once I managed to slip out of Kofuku's grasp.

"Hey guys!" I called as I approached them. As I walked into the house, I froze. They had decorated the room with a banner congratulating me and some streamers. There was food and music and a table with a few gifts. I reddened and turned towards Kofuku. "You did this all, for me?"

"Aw, Hiyori! Don't cry. Daikoku, Yato, and Yukine did a little bit, too," she cooed, and I hugged her. Yato walked out of the backroom, and when he saw me with tears running down my face, he paused.

"Who made Hiyori cry?" he inquired, his voice on the edge of anger. I ran over to him and crushed him in a tight hug. He put his arms around me protectively.

"I'm not sad. I'm just… emotional… and happy. You all are so sweet," I cried against him, and he reddened.

"Anyways, who's ready to party?" Kofuku riled us up and cranked up the music. She pulled me out to the dance floor and twirled me around. I motioned for Yukine and Yato to join us. Yato pushed Yukine out onto the dance floor with us, but instead of dancing, he went over to see the food options. Mayu and Kazuma joined us, too. I showed them how humans danced usually, well my version of dancing, which was pretty bad. Kazuma was, surprisingly, very good at dancing. Daikoku slid up behind Kofuku, and they began doing some swing. Mayu and I didn't too much crazy dancing, but we mostly laughed as Yukine tried to copy Kazuma, though poorly. After a while, a slower song came on. The three regalia left to go to the food table, while Dainkoku pulled Kofuku into his arms. I went to join the three regalia, but Yato came up to me.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, holding out his hand nonchalantly. I smiled and grabbed it. He took me out the dance floor and pulled me against him. I placed my hands on his shoulders, and his arms circled around my waist. I stared up into his crystal blue eyes, getting lost as we drifted to the music. It was faded background noise as I was lost here, in his arms. When it was over, I didn't want to let him go but then I noticed everyone staring at us. I blushed and stepped away from him, and he looked around at the others.

"You guys are so cute!" Kofuku gushed, and I tucked my hair behind my ear uncomfortably. Yato reddened and got flustered.

"Oh, quiet you," Yato stammered and walked away from me. "Isn't it time for presents or something?"

"Oh, yesss," Kofuku squealed and ran to the table, picking up one wrapped messily in pink paper.

"Oh, guys, you really didn't have to," I mumbled, but she forced it into my hands. I opened it and out fell several wads of cash. I glanced between the pile on the floor and Kofuku. She grinned. "Goodness, Kofuku, how much is there?"

"One million yen. The rest of your debt! Now you're free," she beamed, and I broke into a smile.

"You truly are a merciful god," I mused, and she laughed.

"We aim to please," she winked and stepped away from me. Yukine stepped up next. He handed me a nicely wrapped present.

"Did you wrap this yourself?" I asked, and he blushed, nodding. "Well if things don't work out with Yato, you could always try doing this for a living."

"Definitely food for thought," he agreed, and Yato gawked at us. I carefully unwrapped it, and in it was a small album. Inside were various pictures of each of us. As I glanced through them, my eyes watered.

"Yukine! You made Hiyori cry!" Yato scolded him.

"Not on purpose," Yukine defended, and I pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, again. It's perfect," I assured him, trying to rein in the spilling tears.

"I just wanted you to have something to remember us by, forever. Just in case, something ever happens," he explained, and I hugged him tighter, unable to keep from crying. I looked up at Yato who looked somber as well.

"I will never, ever forget the both of you," I promised but held the photo album close to my body. After Yukine, Mayu and Kazuma presented their gifts. Mayu gifted me a book, while Kazuma gave me a cat phone charm. Finally, Yato pulled a box out from inside of his sweatshirt. Kofuku's eyes widened in surprise, and she jumped up and down in joy. He held it out to me sheepishly.

"I was wandering through the market and I saw it and it reminded me of you," he explained, and I opened the box. Inside was a heart shaped pendant that was a mix of colors. When I held in my hand, it turned to pink. "It changes colors to match the mood of the wearer. Pink represents happy I believe. Blue is sad, red is angry. I also had it charmed. If you ever need me, just grab the pendant while thinking about me and I will find you."

"I love it," I breathed and hugged him in thanks. I drew back and held it out to him. "Will you help me put it on?"

He reddened but nodded, taking the pendant from me. I turned my back to him and moved my hair out of the way. He reached in front of me, his hand brushing my collarbone and causing me to gasp. He clasped the pendant and withdrew his hands. I thanked him, grasping the pendant in my hand.

"You guys are so sweet. I'm so happy to have you all in my life," I sniffled, and they smiled at me. The rest of the evening consisted of mingling, dancing, and playing various games. Around midnight, everyone was standing around and chatting, and I noticed Yato wasn't with us. I saw him sitting outside and staring up at the sky. I walked out to join him, taking the seat next to him, and he glanced over at me. His eyes flashed down to my pendant, and he smiled.

"So do you actually like it?" he glanced, and I ran my fingers over the cool stone.

"I don't like it. I love it," I assured him, resting my head against his shoulder. He let out a deep breath before putting his arm around me. I closed my eyes and smiled as his scent swirled around me. "Today was great. Thank you."

"I'm glad. You deserved it," he admitted, and I let out a deep breath. Exhaustion drifted over me like a fog, and I felt myself falling into the darkness. I fell asleep with a smile still on my lips.


	3. Blighted

*** Note ***

Sorry this took so long! This is the beginning of the Blighted Arc, which will lead into the Fall of Yato arc. Hiyori is attacked and infected by an unknown creature who takes an uncomfortable interest in her. If you're looking for new anime suggestions: _Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet_. It was amazing! I also am writing a fanfiction of that one as well. Enjoy!

 **Blighted**

*** Chapter 3 ***

I woke up the next morning still next to Yato. However, I was back in my body, and we were lying on the floor of Yukine's study room. I had my head against his chest, and I found it to be incredibly soothing. I tightened my grip on him as I shifted to be closer to his warmth, and he woke up. His eyes widened at our position, and he tensed.

"Morning Yato," I mumbled and stretched out against him. He reddened but patted my head.

"Morning Hiyori," he greeted me, relaxing and I smiled, sitting up.

"Did I fall asleep on you outside?" I inquired, and he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah. I carried you back in here," he admitted, and Kofuku walked into the room with her phone out.

"Darn it you guys! I wanted to get a picture," she groaned, and Yato and I both blushed. I got onto my feet and looked down at my wrinkled kimono. I hope my parents didn't think it was too scandalous for me to be staying out so late.

"Thanks for the party, Kofuku. I should probably be heading home now," I told her, and Yato stood up.

"I'll walk you there."

The walk was mostly quiet. I could tell Yato wanted to say something, but he never did. I just relished in the silence next to him, running my thumb over the pendant he got me. When we arrived at the front gate of my house, we paused.

"Hey, Hiyori, would you be interested in…" he trailed off, and I felt my heart beat increase. I leaned towards him in anticipation, wondering what he could possibly want to ask me. "ergh… helping Yukine and I take out some phantoms tonight? We have a bigger job and could use some help."

"Yeah, of course. Just let me know when you want to go," I told him, trying to keep hidden the disappointment that flashed through me. He smiled, though uneasily, and left me standing at my gate. I sighed and made my way into my house. I went up to my room and opened the door only to find all of my stuff was gone. I pulled out my phone and called my mother.

"Hey honey, did you have fun last night?" she asked, and her voice didn't sound angry so I was even more confused.

"Uh, yeah. Kofuku, remember the girl I told you about that graduated a year before me? Well, she held a little celebration for me, and I ended up staying the night with her," I lied. "I was just calling because, well, my room is empty."

"Oh, yes! I completely forgot to tell you last night. You left before we could give you your present," she began, and I looked down at the clothes I was wearing. This was not my present? "We ended up buying you that flat we were telling you about. I left a note on the counter with directions to get there and the keys. We set everything up for you, but were planning on stopping by after work to see how you were settling, if that's okay?"

"Of course! I look forward to it. Thank you so much. I can't wait to see it," I beamed, trying to quell my excitement in my voice.

"Great, honey, we'll see you later then." I didn't get a chance to say goodbye when the line clicked that she had hung up. I didn't care. I ran downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed the keys off the counter. _I had my own flat!_ I headed out to where the directions told me and finally reached it. It wasn't too far from my house and very close to the pet store. I quickly ran up the stairs of the complex and opened the door to my area. It wasn't extravagantly furnished, but I thought it was perfect.

My mom left little notes here and there which I collected as I explored. It was a two bedroom flat, though the other bedroom was significantly smaller. My mother had written a note that it was in case my friends or brothers wanted to sleep over. I had just finished showering and getting dressed when there was a knock at the door. My parents greeted me with ecstatic faces.

"How are you settling in? Do you like it? Is everything okay?" my mother began the string of questioning while my father immediately made his way over to the fridge to check out my food inventory. I pulled my mother into a hug which silenced her.

"It's perfect. Everything is perfect. I love it so much. Thank you!" I told her. She smiled at me before leaving me alone to yell at my father for eating my food. They didn't stay for too long, but as they left, my mother requested I still attend weekly dinners at their house and not be afraid to come over anytime. She teared up a little bit as she left, but I knew her and my dad were excited to have the house to themselves once again. Once my apartment was silent, I got to making dinner. Just when I was putting a pot on to boil, I received a call from Yato.

"Hey Yato, what's going on?" I asked, pinning the phone between my shoulder and my ear as I multitasked.

"Just hanging with Yukino. Wondering when you were available to start the job."

"Well, I was just getting started making dinner—"

"Oh, really? Do you mind if Yukine and I join you?" he interrupted me, and I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"Nope, please do," I sighed.

"Well, that's good because we were coming anyways," Yato mused from behind me. I jumped in surprise, the phone falling onto the floor. _Thanks for the warning_. Yato mumbled an apology as he scooped it up and then leaned over me to see what was in the pot. I blushed at how close he was as his scent swirled around me. He sniffed and grunted in approval before joining Yukine at the table set.

"So what are we hunting tonight?" I inquired as I checked the noodles.

"We're going to what people have been calling Deadman's Alley. Apparently it used to be a safe place for people to go, but ever since a little boy died there, the stench of evil has been hanging on the air. Women have been known to leave their babies behind, people report feeling overwhelming waves of sadness or anger when entering the alley, and there have been an increase in crimes in the area," Yato explained, and his words sent a chill up my spine.

"You think it's the work of phantoms?" I asked, turning towards him, and he shrugged.

"We'll find out when we had over there tonight."

I couldn't deny the nervousness running through my core. Phantoms were eerie and could make people do bad things, but there must be a pretty significant collection of them to cause such events. I finished up the food and set it on the table, quickly grabbing my portions before the other two dug in. The food was gone, but fortunately it wasn't until they were both stuffed until they were nearly sick. I cleaned up the dishes while they laid there groaning.

"It was irresponsible to eat that much before going out on a job," I playfully scolded them, and Yato moaned as he looked at me.

"You are too good of a cook, Hiyori," he protested, and I smiled appreciatively with my back towards them as I washed. I hummed to myself as I worked. By the time I finished, they were ready to go again. Fortunately, I fell asleep just as we were walking out the door. Yato placed me in my bed before I continued in my spirit form. It was easier for me to fight this way, and I wouldn't have to worry about losing my body along the way. The streets were starting to clear out as the sun set.

Darkness settled over the world, and I shivered as a breeze blew through the streets. I couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the lingering uneasiness. The closer we got to the alley, the stronger the feelings got. Yato and Yukine seemed unaffected by it all, though as they trudged forward. When we were standing in front of the alley, all the hair on the back of my neck stood up. There was a clanging inside the alley, and I jumped in surprise, grabbing onto Yato's arm. A cat ran out of the alley, and I blushed as Yato glanced at me with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm sorry. I think there's something wrong with this place," I admitted, noticing my entire being was shaking. We couldn't see anything inside the alley from outside so we stepped inside. It was as if darkness had enveloped us. No light reached the inside of the alley from the outside. I could barely see a foot in front of me. I stuck to Yato's side, having Yukine on my other side. Whispers echoed throughout the alleyway, seeming to call to me. I froze as the other two kept walking forward. They paused and turned towards me. I couldn't remember why I had stopped but I just knew that I needed to. Yato's eyes glanced down at my tail and then they widened. Yukine followed his line of sight and gasped.

"Hiyori, don't move," Yato hissed, and I stayed frozen, trying to glance down at my tail through my peripherals but unable to see it. I could feel something, though, brushing against it. Tears stung my eyes as my heartbeat pounded in my ears. I was thoroughly afraid. There was a malicious chuckle next to my ear as meaty red arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against a solid body. Something wet ran along my ear, almost like a tongue, and tears overflowed my eyes and ran down my cheeks.

"A little half phantom fell into my trap. And so pure. They don't come like you anymore. Either they're easily corruptible or ready to become pets to gods. You are certainly a unique case. A truly beautiful accident. Your company is less than ideal, though. A minor god and his pet. You deserve much better, my dear," a menacing voice cooed into my ear, and chills once again ran down my spine. My cord flicked into my view, and he grabbed it gently with his clawed hand, stroking it. It didn't hurt me but something about it felt violating. I whimpered, and he laughed again. "Your existence is so fragile. One yank," he tightened his grip and I gasped at the pain that shot through me, "and you'd be dead."

"Please," I whispered, and he released my tail only for his hands to begin roaming my body. My cheeks reddened, and I avoided looking at Yato and Yukine who were watching the events unfolding. This was like no phantom I had ever met before. I wondered if it truly was a phantom. It certainly wasn't human in any case. The tongue ran along the side of my throat, and I sobbed. What I didn't notice, and apparently the thing holding me didn't notice either, was Yato whispering for Yukine to go into weapon mode and then cutting through the air. My hair whipped around my face as the strength of the cut brushed past me, missing me.

The creature behind me howled in pain but didn't tear into shreds like I was expecting. I went to leap out of its reach back towards Yato, but it grabbed my leg, it's claws digging deep into my skin and knocking me to the ground. I glanced behind me and finally got a good look at the creature. It was truly hideous, but unlike any phantom I had seen before. It had a humanoid shape, but had a bunch of extra, weird appendages. It was glowing red with black pits for eyes. Across its chest was two red lines, probably from Yukine's blades.

"That was very rude. The half phantom and I were in the middle of something. This certainly doesn't involve you. You can go on now," he dismissed them and waved his hand. It must have had some sort of power to it because it sent Yato and Yukine flying. It was up to me now. I channeled the power of my idol of many years.

"Jungle savate," I cried, pushing myself off the ground and twisting. My foot cracked him in the side of the jaw. It was more powerful than I was anticipating. Than he was as well. He stumbled backwards, falling. Unfortunately, his grip on me didn't lessen until he had sent me flying in the opposite direction of Yato and Yukine. I crashed into a couple trash bins. I tried to jump back onto my feet for round two, but a paralyzing pain shot from my ankle. I glanced down at it. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but black ooze dripped out of the claw marks, and my skin looked blackened around it. Had I been blighted by this super phantom? A figure loomed over me, and it took me a moment to realize it was the creature. He sneered and stepped down on my ankle, causing me to scream at the blinding pain.

"You're mine, half phantom. You hear me?" he purred, and my screams turned to ragged breathing as he stepped off of me. He glanced behind him before disappearing into the air. The aftershocks tremored through me and I still found myself unable to move. Yato ran up to me with Yukine at the ready. When he saw we were alone, he turned Yukine back into his human form. Yato leaned down and went to touch me, but I jerked away from him, yelping at the searing pain.

"Don't. Don't touch me," I hissed, and he drew his hand away. His words echoed in my brain. _You're mine_. What did it mean? Did I want to know? The pain only ebbed slightly, and I felt myself getting nauseous. "Something is very, very wrong."


	4. Blight Me

*** Note ***

This chapter has been the goddamn literal definition of a pain in my ass. Sorry it took so long. First, I had to experience the nightmare of every digital writer: corrupted data. I wrote the entirety of the last chapter and guess what? Everything is gone. Not just the last chapter, but the 50+ pages of content I wrote for _much later_. I've been so frustrated that I couldn't look at this gosh darn thing any more. I finally watched season 2 and started reading the manga, though, so I'm back on the Noragami train. The manga is a bit different from the anime and missing some of my favorite scenes (though I guess that means they just added extra scenes into the anime), but a lot of it is still pretty spot on. Anyways, so after that first nightmare, I got home and realized I left my external hard drive plugged into my work laptop, in my office, which means that I wouldn't have been able to publish this for another week.

I'm impatient so here's round three of this chapter. I swear to the gods (yes, Yato, you) that if anything happens to this chapter or any other future chapter in this series, I'm going to flip a table (preferably one topped with expensive china and maybe some nice clay pots). Anyways, rant over. Thank you for the beautiful reviews. I'm glad so many of you like it. I'm a little embarrassed since this is my least well-written fanfiction (well, except my Avatar the Last Airbender fanfiction from like 2010, those were dark days but that one has also only ever been seen by my eyes). Lol, sorry about this long authors note, but I needed to vent. However, in exchange, here's a nice, long chapter for you. Enjoy!

 **Blight Me**

*** Chapter 4 ***

After much argument on my part, Yato finally convinced me to allow him to carry me to Kofuku's place. I was worried about this horrible bite accidentally infecting him as it had already started reaching farther up my leg, expanding its area of pain. However, he was careful to avoid touching it as he maneuvered. Yukine walked next to us. He was silent, worried, but trying desperately to keep his emotions under wraps. I whimpered with every accidentally jerk Yato made, bouncing my leg and sounding a tremor of pain through my body. When we finally reached Kofuku and Diakoku's place, they greeted us outside before leading us into the backroom. Yato laid me on the bed while Diakoku began to examine me, careful not to brush my blighted skin.

"This is not a normal phantom blight," Diakoku concluded, and Yato drew in a deep breath. He glanced over at Kofuku. "Call Bishamon and then prepare a bath from the spring water. We need Kazuma over here now to give his own diagnosis. I have neither seen nor read about anything like this."

Kofuku nodded, her eyes hard, critical, before she left the room. Yukine stood across the room, leaning against the wall. His head was downcast, but I could still see the tears rolling down his cheeks. He could contain his emotions anymore. Yato didn't seem too affected by his emotional imbalance as he knelt by my side, holding my hand. Kofuku walked into the room with Kazuma, who was carrying an older book. He checked out my blight before flipping through the pages. I noted the pendant Yato gave me in the corner of my vision. Yellow. _Fear_.

"It's as I feared. She was not bitten by a phantom at all, but rather a creature far more sinister. They're called demons, though they're not the demons in the sense that most people understand them. They've exist nearly as long as gods and are, for all simplified purposes, the antigods. I believed they were a myth until now. They haven't been mentioned in any sort of literature in the past several thousand years. They are the creatures who first corrupted the phantoms. They introduced the darkness in this world, the darkness that formed the blessings and the curses that became gods. They are truly the creatures of nightmares," Kazuma explained and chills ran up my spine.

"Well, what does it mean? Can we not fix Hiyori's blight with just normal spring water?" Yato inquired, and Kazuma frowned, fingering through the pages of the book.

"Apparently not. To cleanse the blight caused by a demon, the water must be blessed by four gods and mixed with the seeds of the lotus flower," he recited from the book. "On the bright side, if you can call it that, the blight cannot harm gods. You are the only creatures on the planet immune to this poison. Regalias, Diakoku and Yukine, under no circumstances can you come into contact with the infected area. It will infect you and consume you in a very short period of time."

"I thought the Lotus flowers were extinct," Yato stammered, and Kazuma looked thoughtful.

"I've heard of stories, chatter in Heaven. Rumors of a garden protected by a basan. The garden belongs to Yue Lao, the god of love. He has protected the flower all this time for being exposed to the human world, but Veena used to be very familiar with him, so he may help us. It's a long shot, but it is something. I shall go discuss the situation with Veena," he informed us. Yato nodded, and Kazuma disappeared. I hissed as the blight spread farther up my leg, bringing with it new tingles of pain. It felt as it my nerve endings were on fire. I shifted uncomfortable, and Yato tightened his grip on my hand.

"See, we're going to fix this," he assured me and tucked me hair behind my ear as he gave me an encouraging smile. It was forced, though, strained, as he tried to mask his own pain. I returned his smile.

"I know. You're a fixer," I agreed. My eyes widened as I remembered payment. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a 5 yen. He looked confused but held out his free hand. I set the coin in it, and his eyes widened. "I have and always will believe in you, Yato."

He had to turn away as he broke down, though he never loosened his grip on my hand. I wondered if this would be the end for me. If this was nearing the final page of my great adventure. Would I come back as a pure spirit waiting to be a regalia or would this taint me to the point that I would turn into a phantom, having to be expelled by Yato or some other god? I hoped the latter didn't occur. I tried to focus on the first potential outcome. I wondered if I could be Yato's Regalia. That'd probably be too painful for him. I wouldn't remember anything about my old life. I might be a crappy spirit and hurt him. The thought made me grimace, but any further thought was halted as Bishamon and Kazuma entered. She smiled at Kofuku, Daikoku, and Yukine, while treating Yato with indifference. She knelt next to me and began to examine my wound, her eyes were kind. I could happily be her Regalia.

"Hello Hiyori. Long time no see. I'm sorry this idiot had to get you involved with his affairs and injured," she greeted me, and I smiled at her. Yato reddened, and I squeezed his hand encouragingly.

"It's my own fault. I'm pretty careless," I protested and hissed when she poked the blackening flesh. She didn't get infected so it seemed Kazuma was right about it not affecting gods.

"It's certainly a demon. Haven't seen one of these in thousands of years. It was foolish of you to try and take him out on your own. You could have easily been killed, Yato. I'll have to put the word out to the gods in the area warning them. Kazuma, make sure to start putting out feelers and looking for the demon. Hiyori is lucky she's a half phantom. Had she been a full spirit or a regalia, she would have instantly been tainted, but her humanity and purity has slowed the process. There's still a chance for us to save her. Kazuma, gather together our group. We'll be heading to find the lotus flower soon enough. Kofuku, you and Daikoku should go see if Tenjin would be willing to help with the ceremony," she organized, and they nodded before walking out. Bishamon gave me a look and smiled encouragingly. "We'll work to fix this, Hiyori. However, you really should consider decreasing your involvement in the spirit world. It's dangerous. No place for a person from the Near Shore."

"What about my body?" I asked, as she stood up.

"Is it not here? I would suggest getting it right away. The farther you are from your body, the farther your cord is stretched and weaker the connection. If you bring it closer, it should slow down the spread of the blight and slow down the fading of your cord. If your cord fades, you will become a corrupted phantom immediately," she warned, and my eyes widened.

"I'll get it," Yukine called, immediately walking from the room. He probably needed something to do. I felt bad for the kid. I desired to comfort him, but I couldn't go near him. When he returned, I would make sure to acknowledge him. Veena's phone rang, and she picked it up. She thanked whoever it was before hanging up and glancing at me.

"Kazuma did some calculations. You should have about two days before either your cord runs out or the infection consumes it. The second is more likely as long as you continue holding on to your connection to the Near Shore. I'll be meeting my team now, but stay strong Hiyori. Yato, whatever you do, don't let her fall asleep," she cautioned us before leaving Yato and I alone. Once it was silent, I let out a long sigh. Potentially two days left to live. No pressure.

"Well, this turned into quite a mess," I sighed, and Yato stroked his thumb over my hand soothingly, stirring feelings inside of me. I wondered if I should tell him my feelings. I had been denying them for so long and now it could be the end. I wouldn't tell him before I died. That would be unfair to him, but afterwards, if they fixed me, I would tell him.

"We will fix this, Hiyori," he pledged, and I nodded, smiling. I knew he wouldn't stop until he did. Yato was nothing if not determined. Every god has their shining trait, and Yato's was perseverance. I admired him for it. We didn't say much until Yukine returned. He set my body down near me on the bed and quickly darted out before I could say something. I frowned and Yato rubbed the back of his neck. I knew Yukine had stung him. "Don't worry about him, Hiyori. He's just distressed. He's trying to keep his distance, so he can keep his emotions under control."

"I'm sorry to cause you both duress," I apologized, and he shook his head.

"You have nothing to apologize for. We care about you, that's all it is," he assured me, and I smiled. I flinched as a new area of flesh was blighted. "Did I ever tell you about the time I met Oda Nobunaga?" I shook my head, and he smiled. "Well during the sixteenth century, back when I was a different god, I was sent to assassinate him. He was a bit of a sweet talker though…"

I listened intently as he told me stories of his past. He was rarely open about such things, and it was nice to hear his stories. He stuck to mostly light hearted ones, making me laugh often and distracting me from the creeping pain. I could listen to him talk forever. He still held my hand with one hand and the other he ran through my hair. Despite the circumstances, this was exactly where I wanted to be. After what seemed like hours, he received a call on his phone. He rose to his feet after he answered, releasing my hand, to my disappointment.

"Yato here…. What do you mean?... Gone?..." he conversed before cursing. He put his head in his hands. "Yes, please continue checking it out…" He hung up the phone and turned to me, his eyes sad. "So… Yue Lao was a bust. He used to cultivate them but destroyed his crop after they tempted his regalia. He did hear some lore of a potential location for some, though. Bishamon is going to check it out so hope isn't lost yet."

He said those words, but my heart dropped. Now we were chasing legends. You couldn't chase those kind of legends in two days. The news hit me. I would probably die. The loss of hope seemed to travel throughout me, tingles shooting through my skin. It was as though the blight could sense my defeat. Yato paced back and forth next to my bed, and I couldn't help but smile. His worry was misplaced. There was no use stressing over me. I was going to die. There was little more to life than that. He glanced over at me and saw me watching him. He knelt by my side and grabbed my hand, lifting it towards his face and pressing it against his cheek.

"I wanted to make you the happiest girl alive," he choked, and I stroked my thumb over his cheekbone.

"I am the happiest girl alive," I assured him, and my words broke him. Tears ran down his cheeks, and he quickly turned into a sniffling mess. I cradled his cheek in my hand and wiped away his tears. "Don't cry for me, Yato."

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been so selfish," he cursed, and I hissed.

"Don't blame yourself. I was reckless. I was stupid. It was my fault," I soothed him, and he shook his head sobbing. He leaned forward so his head was pressed against the bed at my side, and I ran my fingers through his hair.

"I had so many adventures planned for us," he cried, and I couldn't stop the flow of tears down my own cheeks at his words. I had planned for a lifetime of adventures for the two of us. The three of us. It had been Yukine, Yato, and Hiyori for the entirety of our friendship. At least I would die knowing that Yato would be alright. In the past couple years, he had a small but growing group of followers. It wasn't big, like he had dreamed, but it was enough that his memory would live on for many years to come. Many years that he would have to face the world without me. My heart ached, and I wondered if it was from the nostalgia or the darkness creeping in.

"Yato, you gave me the adventure of a lifetime, and I'm sure we'll meet again, somehow. Fate has a way of bringing people together," I assured him, my words and breaths becoming labored as it grew harder to breathe. Yato must has sensed my distress as he looked up at me in surprise. I adjusted to the new struggle after a moment and gave him a reassuring smile. I glanced over at my body as saw it begging to pale. My sleeping face was twisted in pain, as if I was having a bad dream. Well, I was experiencing a horrible nightmare.

"After all the times you saved me… Once, just once, I wanted to save you, Hiyori," he choked, and I reached towards him, cradling his cheek in my hand. He covered my hand with his and leaned against it. I couldn't help myself as I reached out with my thumb and stroked it over his lips. His lips parted, and my thumb dipped inside. He bit down on it gently, and I gasped. I wanted to tell him how I felt, the way he turned my thoughts to mush, made my body zing, distracted me from my impending doom. He was mesmerized by my thumb, brushing it with his tongue.

"If, by some miracle, I survive this, will you go see the light show at Capyland with me?" I asked without thinking, blushing, and his eyes lit up. I couldn't believe I had just asked him. If I did die, I had just given him false hope. I also didn't know even if he would say yes. If he said no, I would feel terribly embarrassed.

"When you survive, I would love to," he confirmed, and I smiled, drawing my thumb out of his mouth. It strengthened me a little, knowing I had a date. This time I would see the lightshow with the person I had always wanted to. As if I didn't have enough reasons to want to live, this only furthered the feeling. Yukine walked in a few moments later. He was a blubbering mess, and he fell onto his knees on the other side of Yato, near my head.

"Hiyori, I don't… I don't want you to die," he sobbed, and I smiled. I checked my arm for blighting, but when I noted it was clear, I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Don't worry, Bishamon will find the Lotus flower," I assured him. I needed him to be strong for Yato. He gripped my hand tightly as he hid his face, trying to calm his tears. I glanced at Yato and smiled. The painful tingling was halfway up my stomach now. It was rising much faster than I anticipated. Kazuma's calculations might have been a bit off. I need to distract myself and the other two. "Hey, Yukine, did you finish your last homework assignment?"

"Y-y-yes," he stammered, and I smiled.

"Good. Go get it to show me," I urged. He stared at me in disbelief at my request before hopping to his feet and running out to grab his school stuff. Yato gave me a look. Though I was feeling somber, I couldn't help but use the opportunity to tease Yato. "Can't stop teaching him. That boy won't certainly won't learn from you."

He gawked for a second before he chuckled in agreement, his eyes watering. He wiped the tears once Yukine came back into the room. Yukine held out the piece of paper, and I grabbed it along with a pen. I marked the wrong answers and began walking him through them. Yato's phone rang, and he left us to answer it. Yukine and I kept glancing at him, though I was trying to stay focused on explaining it. Yato turned back to us after a minute. His eyes were bright in excitement. My heart sped up.

"They found it. It's guarded by an enenra, which is giving them a run for their money, but they found it," he told us, and we both brightened at the news. I sent Yukine out of the room to rework the problems, and I collapsed back on the bed. Yato's eyes ran down to my chest. I glanced down and saw some of the blight appearing over my tank top. My breaths were much more labored. "Hang in there Hiyori. They'll be here soon enough."

I nodded and tried to think about anything but the overwhelming pain. We didn't hear from them after another hour. The blight had layered most of my skin and I could feel it seeping into my core. Yato was getting anxious once again.

"Goddammit, Hiyori. If you die on me now, when we're so close, I'm never going to forgive you," he warned, and I barely managed a nod. My entire body was tense as I fought the urge to give up. I tried to tell him I wouldn't, but the strain on my body to speak was too much. I closed my mouth, and he looked distressed. He pulled out his phone and called Bishamon. "How much longer? I don't think she has much time left… an hour max?... do what you can… Tenjin is outside with Kofuku waiting… good… see you soon… good bye."

He hung up and smiled at me. "Not much longer Hiyori."

I couldn't nod my head anymore without intense pain, so I just laid there, concentrating on the ceiling, on staying awake. So close to relief, to being saved. I knew I was reaching the edge, the edge of life and death. Just when I thought I couldn't take it any longer, Bishamon entered with the other two gods. She was disheveled, a little bloody but overall alright. Yato perked up at the sight of them, and I could almost feel his relief. I was relieved as well. While I tried to stay strong, I didn't want to die. I didn't want to leave Yato. Bishamon eyed me, and her eyes were pained. Kazuma went to enter, but she put her hand up.

"It's best if you wait outside," she cautioned him, and he nodded, glancing at me quickly before disappearing. Tenjin gave me a critical look before meeting Yato's eyes.

"I'm helping out but this time I mean it, Yato. You have to allow that girl to go back to her life in the Near Shore. Every moment she spends with you is putting her into more danger," Tenjin warned him. I wanted to protest. I loved my time with Yato, but no words would come out. Yato just nodded, his expression serious. They all gathered around the lotus laced tub of water and began the incantation for the ritual. The water began to glow and they stepped away.

"Alright, now to just get Hiyori in the bath," Bishamon told Yato. The rest of them left, and he walked over to me.

"Hiyori, I'm going to strip you of your clothes so we can make sure to cleanse everything," Yato explained. I couldn't nod, I couldn't move to give him permission. I just lied there, staring up at the ceiling as my body was on fire. He carefully stripped me down until I was in nothing more than my bra and underwear. The act was intimate but in no way sexual. He lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bathroom, each movement sending another tremor of pain through me. I appreciated that we were alone. He set me in the bath and immediately my body was set ablaze.

It felt as if all of my nerve endings were exploding at once. My eyes widened, but I couldn't scream or form tears. However, after a few moments of the near unbearable pain, the darkness and the pain began to seep out of me. A black cloud formed around me in the bubbling water before dissipating. Yato scooped up hand fulls of the water and drizzled in over my skin. There was a flash of pain, which was quickly swept away by cool relief. Once my body was done, he helped me adjust myself so that I could stick my head under the water. It burned so much that my eyes began to water. However, the pain on the outside was nothing compared to the pain on the inside. I opened my eyes, swallowing and breathing in the water to cleanse my insides. I had never felt pain so intense. I screamed under the water, but Yato held me down, forced me to endure it. I knew I would be grateful once it was over, but at this moment, I felt as though I was truly dying.

When the pain began to recede and my vision became dotty, I stopped struggling against him, and he immediately pulled me out of the water. He smacked his hand hard into my back, forcing my lungs to spit up the water. I choked it up a few hits later and water poured out of my noise and my mouth as I sputtered, regaining complete consciousness. I collapsed in defeat once it was over and leaned against Yato. He pulled me into his arms, and I gripped tightly onto his shirt. I was happy to be alive but still quivering in the aftermath of what had just occurred. Slowly, other sensations began to return to me: chills, exhaustion, embarrassment. I shivered in the cool water and Yato quickly lifted me out, wrapping a large towel around me and rubbing my limbs to wake me up. I was so thankful for him then. His concern, his attention, his care.

"Thank you, Yato," I croaked. Appreciative that I could manage words once again. I need to be brought to my body soon, though, I could feel myself fading. Yato must have noticed because he quickly scooped me up and brought me over my body. As I got closer, I felt more and more tired. As he set me on my body, I fell into unconsciousness. When I woke up again, Yato was sleeping next to me, and Yukine was next to him. I sat up, and they both slowly woke up. Their eyes widened when they saw me awake, and they both embraced me, now crying happy tears. Everything was okay, we would be okay, and we would be together.

*Several Days Later*

"Come on, Yato. I don't want to be late," I laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling me behind him towards where the parade would be. He intertwined his fingers with mine and smiled. We got there just as the crowd was starting to gather, but we still got a good spot at the railing. He jumped up and down in excitement and I laughed at his enthusiasm. He still hadn't let go of my hand. The parade was about to start, but I felt the moment was right.

"Yato, there's something I should tell you," I stammered, blushing. He glanced over at me. The noise of the crowd and the starting parade was in the background behind the pounding of my heart. I tried to form the words jumbled in my brain, but with him looking at me, with those admiring blue eyes, I couldn't manage the words. He leaned over towards me, briefly reminding me of my encounter with Father, but it was all forgotten as his lips touched mine. My head spun as I leaned into the kiss, and his arms circled around me. It was all that I wanted from a kiss. My lips parted as he took my breath away, and he deepened the kiss, his tongue brushing my bottom lip. I met him with my own tongue, and he made a gurgled noise in the back of his throat as he pinned me between him and the railing. It started out as a sweet kiss, but the world around me disappeared as it transitioned into more.

"Hey, if you're not even going to watch the parade, get out of the front row," an angry parent interrupted our moment. I drew away from Yato and smiled, blushing. He grinned and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the crowd and towards the food area. Of course he'd be hungry. I rolled my eyes but laughed when he gave me a look.

Throughout the rest of the evening, he would sometimes disappear into his mind, appear distant, thoughtful. I was elated, though. He had kissed me. Yato had kissed me! And it was beautiful. It wasn't until he walked me back home that I realized something was truly wrong. Yukine was waiting outside of my apartment. He looked distraught and refused to meet my eyes. I stop walking as I glanced between the two of them in concern. Yato sighed, his eyes cast down at his feet, and he spoke.

"Hiyori, I'm cutting our ties," he explained, his eyes absent of humor. I drew in a sharp breath. My eyes watered, and I quivered in front of him. "It's too dangerous for you to be involved in the spirit world. If anything else happened to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I'm sorry, but I'm doing this because I care about you."

"Yato… Yato, please don't do this," I begged, and he hesitated. I could see the struggle inside of him, and it broke my heart. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a five yen coin, tossing it to me.

"I'm really sorry Hiyori. I wanted to make your wish come true. I wanted us to be together forever," he sighed and reached for the sniffling Yukine. "Sekki!"

"Yato, I don't want to leave you, any of my friends. I love you all very much," I sobbed, trembling, and he shook his head as he raised Yukine.

"You will make new ones, Hiyori. I know you will. You're so lively, so pure. I've been around for a long time, and this time with you has been the best time of my existence," he admitted, his voice shaking. "Thank you for everything."

"Noooo!" I screamed, but it was too late. Yato slashed Yukine through the air, and I felt pieces of myself begin to disappear. I collapsed onto my knees onto the ground and tried to grasp onto any of the threads that remained. There were many connecting myself to the spirit world, most of them to Yato. I watched as the last one broke apart, and I stared blankly into the empty space in front of me. My last thought was, _I never even got to tell him that I loved him._


	5. The Ties That Bind Us

*** Note ***

First off, **I'd like to thank Nephellim for beta-reading this story for me**! It's been awesome working with you. I've been trying to get into a more regular rhythm with publishing my stories. I will be posting a schedule on my profile of when I plan to update. For this one, **I plan on publishing new chapters the first and third Monday of each month**. Thank you for bearing with me readers! I was really distressed over losing a good portion of this story to corrupted data, but now I've rewritten a lot of it and am back on track! Anyways, enjoy! :)

 **The Ties That Bind Us**

*** Chapter 5 ***

I didn't know his name. Nor did I know his face. But I could sense him there. My guardian angel. I didn't know why, but I always felt safer when he was around. The boy in the shadows. Sometimes, familiar fragments of memory came to me. Like of a dream where I had known this boy. Out of the corner of my eye, I could catch glimpses of him. Sometimes he had a companion. Another boy that brought me feelings of contentment. Sometimes I desired to meet him, but as soon as I turned to greet him, he would disappear and the memory of him would be forgotten. I didn't know much about the people of the shadows, but they were easily lost.

I spent most of my days at the Pet Store. My mother had been cross with me after I had went off the radar for several days. When she came to check on me, I was sleeping in my bed and couldn't recall having done anything else the past few days. Bouts of sleeping spells were a common occurrence, but I hadn't had one that long. My father checked me out, but found nothing wrong with me. It's been almost two months now and I haven't fallen asleep unintentionally ever since.

Most of my friends were off to college, but Hagiwara Manabukan, who was in his final year of high school, still asked me to hang out. Apparently I had helped him out at some point in the past when he was being bullied. I couldn't recall much about it, but I knew there had been a period of time when I was familiar with his problem. I was glad I could help him out and I considered him a good friend. I often wondered if his feelings were more than platonic, but he was adorably shy so he never acted on them if they were.

"Hiyori! Hiyori, you're off in another world again," Hagiwara called to me and broke me out of my reverie. I smiled at him as I zoned back into the world, and he grinned. I took a sip of my milkshake before speaking.

"How's school treating you?" I inquired, and he shrugged.

"I can't wait to be out. How's college? It always sounds much more exciting than high school," he admitted, leaning towards me.

"Well, I don't really have the conventional college experience. It's not too bad. Definitely not high school, but if I pile on an extra class every term after this one, I might be able to graduate early, which would be nice. I can't really recall what made me decide to want to be a teacher, but it just feels right. You ever have that feeling?" I asked, and he looked thoughtful.

"Not really, I guess. My dad has been pushing for me to be an engineer ever since I was born. He wants me to go to his alma mater, which is fortunately in town. So we'll still be able to hang out once I graduate from high school," he mused, his eyes brightening. I smiled.

"I'd like that, but you'll probably meet a bunch of awesome people at college and forget all about me," I sighed, and he immediately reached his hand across the table, covering mine.

"I will never forget about you," he promised, his eyes hard with resolve. Those words didn't bring me comfort, though. Instead, they carried with them a feeling of sadness, of broken promises long forgotten. I finished my milkshake and checked the time on my phone. 11:15am. If I left now, I'd have time to catch my hero's latest fight before heading to work. "Hiyori, I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get that necklace?"

Reflexively I looked down at the pendant hanging from my neck. When my mother asked me, I told her I had gotten it from a friend. Had I gotten it from a friend? I couldn't remember which one. Did I buy it for myself and use that as an excuse?

"I think a friend gave it to me," I told him, and he nodded slowly.

"It's a color changing necklace, right? What does blue mean? It spends a lot of time being blue," he noted, and I frowned.

"Sadness," I mumbled, and he frowned.

"Oh," was all he replied, and I could tell he was hurt. I didn't know how to explain to him that I was sad all the time; that it wasn't his fault. I couldn't figure out where this sadness had stemmed from. My mom told me I used to be really happy. I remember being really happy, but I couldn't remember why I was always really happy. Now I can't remember why I'm really sad. It was frustrating, these emotions. They came and went unexplainably.

"Anyways, I have to get going to work. I'd really like to hang out later, though. Being around you does make me feel better," I assured him, and he smiled, nodding, though the smile was forced. "Great. I'll text you later."

I threw down enough yen for the meal and left the restaurant. I stopped by my apartment, changed into my work clothes, and sat down at my laptop to catch up on the latest fight. Tono won, which made me happy and had me walking to work with an extra hop in my step. Work was as usual. Some people trying to return their pets because they weren't "what they expected". Usually it was easily resolved with my taking a moment to handle the pets and talk to them. When they saw how I worked with the animals and showed them how they could do it, too, they generally walked out of the store with their pets again—plus a few extra items.

After closing, I spent some time with the pets that hadn't been adopted that day (I thought it was important to give them all attention, and it was one of my favorite parts of the job), cleaned out their cages and cleaned up the store. The owner, Naru, who was a friend of my parent's, had hovered over me the first couple weeks of my work, but now trusted me with just about all aspects of management on the days I worked. It was a small shop, but the animals, scouted out and bought by Naru, were the best. It was dark by the time I left the shop. Locking the door behind me, I made my way home. I was starving by the time I made it inside and quickly started cooking for dinner. Once I was satisfied and had the kitchen cleaned, I prepared myself a bath.

After stripping out of my clothes, I was about to step into the water when a chill settled over the room. Goosebumps appeared all over my skin, and my hair seemed to stand on end. I wrapped my robe around my body and went to do a quick walk around my apartment to assure myself it was nothing. Everything was in the free and clear, until I noticed the window in my bedroom was open, letting in a draft. Had I left it open? I quickly closed and locked it, shaking off the bad vibes. I sighed and made my way back over to the bathroom. Before I stepped through the threshold, however, I realized I wasn't alone.

"Oh, little half phantom. I finally found you," a voice cooed, and I whipped around, trying to see the source. My room was empty, but the voice sounded so close. Was I losing my mind? Something brushed my arm, and I gasped. My being was trembling, and I had no idea why. What was a half phantom, anyways? A rumbling laughter echoed through the room and reverberated through me. I froze as still as a statue. Either I was losing my mind or…. My eyes widened. The shadow people. I didn't waste time trying to see who it was. Unlike the other shadow people, this one had a negative energy surrounding it. If it was one of the shadow people, it was evil. I lunged towards the doorway to exit my bedroom, but something grabbed my leg, swinging me and slamming me into a wall. The wind was knocked out of me, and I gasped for breath as I stared at the empty space where something had grabbed me.

"Who… who are you?" I asked breathlessly and heard a shuffling.

"You don't remember our meeting? Did that pathetic excuse for a god actually cut his ties with you because of our meeting?" the voice inquired, but I had no recollection of what he was talking about. God? Ties? _Who the hell was this guy_? "That's a shame. This could have been a lot more fun. At least you're still afraid."

I glanced down at the pendant around my neck to see it was a bright yellow. I had never seen it so yellow. I had never been this afraid. "Are you one of the shadow people?"

"You could say that," he mused. Something twisted into my hair, and I was yanked up. I let out a whimper at the pain, and tears stung my eyes. As a reflex, I grabbed onto the pendant around my neck. I remembered the shadow boys, the ones that brought me contentment. They would never hurt me. I prayed to the good shadow boy, the one with the crystal blue eyes and forlorn expression, to save me from the other shadow people. I was tossed on the bed and still couldn't see but sensed a presence over me. What was this thing's plan? "I pledged several months ago that you would be mine. I don't appreciate being inhibited from taking what's mine from some worthless minor god."

Hot breath brushed past my face, and I struggled underneath the being. I was pinned down by various limbs. How many arms did this guy have? It definitely wasn't just two. I let out a shallow breath as something wet ran along my neck. Was I just licked? I whimpered as I squirmed more to no avail. The window to my bedroom began to rattle violently, as if someone was trying to force it open. Was it the shadow boy? I glanced over but couldn't see anything outside. I regretted locking it.

"Help me," I cried out as the tongue ran along my collarbone, and the lock snapped off the window as it flew open. The invisible being was knocked off of me, and I looked up to see the blue-eyed shadow boy standing over me. My breath caught in my throat as relief washed over me. He actually came. He glanced down at me and his eyes softened as he looked worried.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Yes, thank you for coming," I squeaked meekly. He held out his hand, and I grabbed it. He pulled me onto my feet and against his chest. My heart beat rapidly in my own chest as I looked up into his blue eyes, though this time it wasn't from fear. I blushed when I remembered that I was wearing little more than a robe, though that was still the least of my worried. My attacker had been knocked away from me, but he was hardly defeated. His eyes were locked on mine, but we were interrupted as a growl erupted throughout the room.

"You dare interrupt me!" the voice boomed. The shadow boy pushed me out of the way as he was knocked onto the ground. Had he been attacked? Why could I see this shadow person but not the other one? The blue-eyed boy muttered something in a language I couldn't understand. There was a bright light that illuminated the silhouette of a terrifying looking creature. The beast let out a horrifying scream and bounded out of the window. The boy took out a phone and held it up to his ear.

"Bishamon, the demon is coming your way. I'm closing in behind it," he reiterated to whoever answered his call. He stepped towards to window, and I let out a noise of protest. He was leaving already?

"Wait!" I called out, and the shadow boy paused. "Why did you save me?"

"Because it was my fault you were sucked into that mess. Now go back to your life, Hiyori," he demanded, his tone pleading, before disappearing. I hadn't understood his words. I had never met him before, how I could I have been caught up in some agenda of the shadow people? How did he know my name? What had the demon said, "cut our ties"? I walked over to the window and stared out into the darkness. He was gone as quickly as he had come. _I wanted to see him again. I wanted him to hold me_.

Tears slid down my cheeks, but I didn't know if they were the aftermath of having been attacked and forced in such a compromising position or if they were because of the boy leaving me alone. I closed the window, wondering if I should be concerned about the lock. The bath was lukewarm by the time I settled down into it. I pulled my knees up to my chest and cried. The pendant around my neck was blue once again. The blue reminded me of his eyes. I ripped the pendant off my neck and threw it across the bathroom. It smacked against the wall and fell to the floor breaking into two pieces. My eyes widened, and I jumped out of the bath, picking up the pendant.

"No, no, no, no!" I cried, placing the broken heart pieces together. I wrapped a towel around me and ran to my kitchen, grabbing a small bottle of super glue. I dried off the pieces and squeezed a strip of glue along one of the jagged edges. I held the two pieces together and prayed for them to be able to stick. I left the pieces on the counter as I let the bathwater drained and dressed in my pajamas. I was hoping to do a couple lessons for my classes tonight but after everything that happened, I just wanted to go to the bed. I would have to remember to contact the landlord about the window tomorrow. I slept with the light on, half worried the demon was going to return, half hoping the shadow boy did.

The next morning, I checked the pendant. There was a clearly visible crack down the center, but for the most part, it was sticking together. I fixed the clasp and wore it around my neck once more. My landlord promised to send someone later on to fix the window. I spent the day working on some assignments for school as that day was my day off. I texted Hagiwara to see if he wanted to hang out. He invited me to see a movie after work the next day. By the time the repairman showed up to fix the window, the memories of the shadow people had long faded. I had no recollection of how the window was broken, but nothing in the place was taken. Several weeks passed before I heard or seen any more of the shadow people. It was a normal day, and I was on my way home from the pet store. I wouldn't have noticed him had he not called out for me….

"Hiyori. Hiyori!" a voice tried to get my attention. I glanced around, but didn't see anyone acknowledging me. Then it hit me. Shadow boy. I looked out of the corner of my eye, and a figure appeared in front of me. The shadow boy's companion. He was a couple years younger than me with sandy brown hair. His eyes were much older than he appeared, though. Their wisdom threw me off.

"One of the shadow people! You have emerged!" I sputtered, and he frowned. He seemed antsy, impatient, and worried. My heart ached for him, and I desired to help him.

"It's Yukine. Listen. What I'm about to tell you is going to be strange. Please, try to keep an open mind and at least hear me out," he introduced, and I nodded my head slowly. I didn't know what could be stranger than shadow people. "So we actually know each other, like we've known each other for years, like my entire lifetime. I'm the assistant to a god, Yato. The black haired boy. You met him once, in your bedroom, when he scared off that demon for you. You've known him a long time, too. We used to hang out all the time. That is, until you got hurt and almost died. Yato felt guilty so he decided to cut your ties to us, so you would forget us and move on to a normal life. Anyways, the point of all this. Yato is in trouble, big trouble, and I don't know if I can help him by myself. I don't know who else to turn to."

"Fair enough. What do you need me to do?" I asked with hesitation, and he gaped.

"You're on board? Just like that?" he stammered, and I shrugged.

"I believe in the shadow people and have holes in my memory, so you could say that makes more sense than a lot of alternatives," I confessed, and he nodded.

"This response is so you. So, the background, somebody has been going around causing trouble, most likely a god of calamity. Anyways, they've been doing it in the name of Yato and soiling his good reputation. He's now being put on trial. They won't believe me, because I'm his regalia, but you, maybe you can convince them that he's innocent. I mean you've known him this past few years better than anyone, including me..." he trailed off, and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Only one problem. If it is as you say, then that means I have no memories of this Yato that you speak of. I don't know what kind of person he is and I definitely can't pretend to," I admitted, and he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Well, about that, when cutting your ties, I may not have put much effort into actually cutting them. See, I didn't want to leave you or make you forget, but I'd never obviously go against Yato's word. I left some intact in case Yato ever changed his mind. You may not be able to access the memories now, but if you try, really try, then I believe you can remember. But you need to have the will. Yato was an important person to you and you were my best friend," he explained, and I nodded.

"Alright, you've convinced me. When's the trial?"

"Kind of going on right now..." he muttered, and my eyes widened. If I was going to do this, I needed to do this fast. At that thought, drowsiness came over me. Something felt different. I looked down and saw me, well my body, on the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a pink translucent tail swishing behind me. Yukine reddened before picking up my body. "Oh boy, we'll drop this off at your apartment before bringing you to the trial. It'll give you extra time to remember."

"I have a tail!" was my only reply. I felt a lot lighter in this form. I followed behind Yukine as he led us back to my apartment. I was surprised he knew exactly where I lived, but then I recalled that the shadow people have been observing me for a while. I struggled to remember the shadow boy. Yato was his name. I remembered his pained blue eyes and his guilty expression. I remember wanting to console him, take away those feelings. I had to hold onto these feelings, of caring, of love, of affection. Yukine set me inside of my apartment before holding out his hand.

"I don't have the memories yet," I protested, but he shook his head.

"There's no time, but you have to keep trying," he urged, and I grabbed his hand. We were surrounded by a bright light before we were transported somewhere else. We were outside of a very ancient looking building. Reminded me of the buildings from Ancient Greece. Huge pillars and doors greeted us. He motioned for me to follow him and we all but ran down the hallways. He carefully opened a door and we entered a courtroom. The shadow boy had his back to us. There was a man with glasses standing next to a blond haired woman. They both eyed me in shock. The man with glasses was also standing next to a rather cross looking older gentleman. He was very round. Something about him radiated intimidation and power. He must have been in charge of the proceedings. He didn't acknowledge our entrance.

"I have no interest in the doings of a god of calamity. I have long abandoned that lifestyle," the shadow boy defended. His voice brought this feeling of nostalgia, but I couldn't quite place it yet. It felt as though I was chasing a thread that always managed to slip out of reach before I grabbed it.

"Bullshit. Once a god of calamity, always a god of calamity. If you didn't think we'd catch on to your little nonsenses, you have something else coming. You and your regalia will both be severely punished," the frightening man boomed, and I felt a shiver run down my body. The shadow boy tensed.

"Do whatever you want to me but don't touch my regalia," Yato hissed, and I perked up. That voice, that resolve, that nature. It was so familiar. I was drawn to it. I rose to my feet, Yukine watched me in surprise and I stepped out into the aisle. I slowly made my way past the pews towards the main court area. The boy with glasses and the woman watched me with horror. The intense man sneered before grabbing his gavel.

"I'll take that into consideration, since he is such a powerful regalia, but as for you, it is time to pass down a judgment worthy of Heaven," he declared, and my heart stopped. Just as he was about to pound his hammer, I called out.

"Wait!" I interrupted, and everyone froze. I had nearly forgotten the exclamation had come from me. Yato turned towards me, his eyes wide with fright. When our eyes met, suddenly everything became clear and I stumbled in my step. I had finally grasped the thread. I pulled it towards me and all the memories came rushing back. As did the emotions. As did the pain. How could he cut our ties? I felt betrayed. I would deal with him after I got him out of this mess. "I have a testimony for the defense!"

"You? How did you get in here? You're a measly little vengeful half phantom. Why should I listen to you when I should be killing you?" he growled and the woman, no, Bishamon, held up her hand.

"I think we should hear her out," she encouraged, giving me a small smile. I nodded in appreciation.

"I don't really care what you do to me. But please. Yato is not any of the things you claim he is. He is kind, he is compassionate. He is a good soul. He has done some unfavorable things in the past, but he has turned his life around. I am just one person of many who could attest to this," I began my case, and he eyed me critically.

"And why would you come to his defense?" My heart pounded in my ears as I paused. My eyes shifted towards Yato, who was visibly struggling between joy at seeing me, worry at my current situation, and anger at the fact that I was here. I couldn't look at him if I wanted the courage to say the truth.

"Because—because I love him," I stammered, and everyone seemed shocked at the confession, including myself. I refused to glance over at Yato. I didn't want to see his reaction to my words. The man glanced over at Kazuma.

"Had you anticipated this?" he asked, and Kazuma shook his head, dumbfounded. The man's eyes softened. "Well, in the light of this new evidence, I don't believe the court can come to a verdict today. For now, we are dismissed."

He rose, nodded to me and then Yato before exiting. His behavior was rather strange. I would have to remember to inquire about him in the future. I sighed in relief before turning and walking out of the courtroom. I could feel Yato following me and Yukine jumped into step next to me. Once we were out of the courthouse, I sped up, wanting to get distance between myself and Yato. I was struggling between anger with him for leaving me, and horror at my testimony in the courtroom. Either way, I had no interest in what Yato had to say.

"Yukine, take me home," I demanded, holding out my hand.

"Yukine, don't you dare," Yato protested, and I whipped towards him. My hand shot out and slapped him across the face. He jerked back in surprise before bringing his hand up to touch his reddening cheek.

"Yato! I have no interest in talking to you or seeing you right now. I can't believe you!" I yelled, and he gaped at my outburst. I turned away from him towards Yukine. "Yukine, take me home."

"Yukine, if you know what's good for you, you'll leave us alone," he growled in a low voice, and Yukine nodded, giving me an apologetic look as he turned and walked away. Yato stepped up behind me, and I couldn't stop trembling. "Hiyori, did you mean what you said? That you loved me?"

"Of course I did. I've loved you for a while, don't be an idiot," I scoffed. He made a soft noise behind me before wrapping his arms around me. He embraced me from behind, his nose pressing into my hair as he drew in a deep breath.

"Oh, Hiyori. Those words mean the world to me," he choked. I will not cave. _I will not cave_. I will tell him how miserable I am. How betrayed I feel. How much pain I am in. I will ignore the way he so adoringly breathed my name. "I love you, too, Hiyori."

"Dammit Yato," I caved, whirling around in his arms. I grabbed onto the collar of his tracksuit and pulled him flush against me. I kissed him furiously, and he immediately tightened his grip and began to kiss me back. I had missed him dearly. I was still cross with him after everything that had happened, but I needed him. I needed his touch, his reassurance. I would get angry and scold him later, once I had my fill. Our tongues danced and his fingers dug into my hips. I moaned against him, and he growled possessively in response. We were finally broken apart by several clearing of throats. I glanced over to see Bishamon, Kazuma, Mayu, and Tenjin observing us with interest. I blushed and glanced away from them.

"Once again, you have found your way back to the near shore, Hiyori. And you were doing so well…" Tenjin noted before walking away with Mayu at his side. His tone reflected neither good nor bad emotions. Bishamon had a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"You may have fooled Kazuma, but I had a hunch," she admitted, and Kazuma grimaced at her. She smiled at him before leading him away from us. I gave Yato an adoring look before remembering my anger. I drew away and punched his arm.

"You're far from forgiven Yato," I snapped, and he nodded, looking ashamed. The look almost, _almost_ made me feel bad. However, I continued to keep my resolve and crossed my arms after my chest. He glanced up at me, and his lips twitched up in the corner, his eyes amused.

"You're cute when you're angry," he teased, and I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"Yukine, take me home," I called out, and he appeared.

"Yes, Hiyori," he held out his hand, and I grabbed it. I was standing in my apartment and dismissed him before going to rejoin my body. I tried to convince myself to be livid but I could help being elated. _I love you, too, Hiyori_. I wanted to leap through the air and spin and embrace this feeling. However, my pride wouldn't let me. I had to be strong. A little while later, my doorbell rang, waking me from my slumber. I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep until I woke up in my body. I opened the door and there was no one. On my doormat were flowers, though, with a note. They were very beautiful, like the ones I loved in Kofuku's garden.

 _I'm sorry for being a dumbass. -Y,_ was all the note said. I shook my head but placed them in a vase on my table anyway. Everything felt a lot better then. I hadn't forgiven Yato, but I was on the road to forgiveness. I had admitted my feelings and they were returned. I had been able to see Yato once again, to hold him, to feel his lips against mine. It wouldn't be long until I invited him into my life again. Hopefully, he would be here to stay permanently. I looked down at the pendant to see it was back to being pink. I traced the crack down the center with my finger. I wasn't sure about the future, but as long as I had Yato and Yukine, everything would be alright. I, then, remembered Kofuku, whom I haven't seen in months. I missed her and Daikoku. She would be thrilled to hear about mine and Yato's confession. I took out my phone to text her, curling up on my bed as I did so.

 _Yato is an idiot, but I love him_.

The reply came a few minutes later.

 _He told me when he came over to ask for the flowers. I'm so stoked. Double date!_

 _I still haven't forgiven him._

 _But you will, then you guys will be the second cutest couple on Heaven and Earth._

 _Second?_

 _Well, Daikoku and I come in first. He says he's happy that you have you memory back. Yato has been a miserable mess ever since he cut ties with you. He spent most of the time focused on hunting down the demon that attacked you. I was worried he was going to revert back to his old ways. But he's changed a lot. You've changed him. He's much happier now and strives to make up for all that he did wrong in the. He's an idiot, but he's an idiot that loves you._

I knew her words were right. Yato still looked out for me, even after he had cut ties with me. I knew he was looking out for my safety. I knew now, that he did it because he loved me. It hurt, but I knew; had the roles been reversed, I would have done anything to protect Yato. I pulled out my phone to text him.

 _We need to talk_.

 _I'll be over tomorrow, text me when you're out of work_. _I'll bring food this time._

I was only half surprised that he knew my schedule. I mean, he had been following me for a while. I laid back on the bed with a smile on my face. I would have to remember to at least pretend to be a bit angry with him for a little while. Then we could make up. I looked forward to the making up part. I chuckled to myself and bit my lip. I wondered what was next for Yato and I? We couldn't exactly get married. What would sex even be like? Could I get pregnant? It was a weird thought. I guess I would have to ask someone … well… maybe Kofuku? How often did a human fall in love with a god? Whatever the future held, it didn't matter as long as we had each other.


	6. So Kiss Me

*** Note ***

Hey! Sorry for being a day late. Thanks so much to Nephellim for beta reading so fast after I didn't get her the chapter until last minute. It's a little bit shorter. It's a filler chapter before the next arc. Next chapter may begin delving into lemony territory so just as a warning and it will be published April 4th. Enjoy :)

*** Chapter 6 ***

The next day, I arrived home from work to see Yato standing alone outside my apartment with another bouquet of flowers and a bag of take out. He straightened up as I approached, and I silently unlocked my door. I pushed it open and motioned for him to enter.

"I'm going change. You can get the food, then we'll talk," I informed him, closing the door to my bedroom behind me. I changed out of my work clothes and into loungewear. My hair had been up in a ponytail and I brushed it out before joining him. Yato had already started digging into his food and I sat next to him, opening a container and digging in. "So, Yato, what have you been up to the last couple months?"

"Demon hunting with Bishamon, protecting the world from phantoms, dealing with the crisis of a new god of calamity and trying to keep my own name cleared," he informed me, and I nodded slowly.

"What was that whole situation about, anyways? It looked pretty serious," I noted, and he shrugged.

"I mean, I definitely would have died had Yukine not taken the initiative to go and get you. Heaven is more a "punish now, ask questions later" kind of place. They don't really care if you come back or not. Their judgment is never wrong. If the violence would have continued, they probably just would have blamed it on an associate," he explained, and I shuddered. He seemed very nonchalant for someone who almost died. He continued on, his voice flat. "Your argument was pretty convincing. At least for the judge in these particular proceedings. Yue Lao, the god of love. He's usually a pretty jovial guy, but this god of calamity has been really particular about messing with his pairings. Thanks for saving me!"

His lack of reaction or soberness at the fact he was moments from death made me angry. How dare he brush that aside? Didn't he know how destroyed Yukine would have been? How long I'd have to suffer with the feeling of emptiness?

"Why don't you care about the fact that you almost died?" I exclaimed, and he blushed, frowning.

"Because, Hiyori, I didn't have you… I couldn't find much reason to be alive anymore," he admitted, and tears stung my eyes. _Damn this boy_. I lunged for him and wrapped my arms around his neck, nearly tackling him.

"Dammit Yato. That's a stupid reason," I cried against him, my face against his neck. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly against him, as he consoled me. He was so warm. I missed his scent. I missed him. All the emotions seemed to crash into me at once. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, soaking into his sweatshirt.

"Maybe to you, but once you've been alive for so many centuries, once you have seen so much darkness, once you loose the one light that peeked through the cracks of your miserable existence. I had given up..." he sighed, and my heart ached for me.

"Oh, Yato," I murmured, leaning back to look at his face. His eyes were watering. How could one man be so sweet and so stupid. I straddled my legs on either side of him and leaned towards him, kissing him softly. He pulled me tighter against him as he responded to the kiss. I twisted my fingers into his hair, tilting his head back as I deepened the kiss. He groaned, his fingers digging into my waist, as my hips rubbed against his.

"Hiyori, you wanted to talk," he muttered against my lips, and I grunted in affirmation.

"I'm really angry with you," I breathed, never leaving the kiss, and he nodded against me.

"I understand. I deserve your anger," he agreed, his tongue brushing my bottom lip. I moaned softly and met his tongue with my own.

"I'm also mad at myself. For putting you in that position. For being weak. For forcing you to have to make the hard choice," I admitted between kisses, and he drew away to look into my eyes. "I can't hate you for it because I would have done the same thing in your shoes."

"Hiyori, that wasn't your fault. Listen to me." He cradled my face in his hands, his gaze intense. "I was an idiot. I was trying not to be selfish, but I didn't consider your feelings in it at all. I didn't consider how important our ties were to you. I noticed it, though, after I had tried to cut them. You had so much connection to the Far Shore. There's no way I could cut them now, though. You can't see them, but I can see a very thick red cord, right here." He pointed from the center of his chest to mine. "Ever since you told me you loved me, it's been there. I've never seen one before **,** so I did some research with Yue Lao. It's the thread of love. I've never seen it before because it can only be seen by a god who is at one end of the thread. Yue Lao said it is an unbreakable bond, a thread that cannot be cut."

"Looks like you're stuck with me," I mused, grinning, and he smiled. He captured my lips once more.

"I love you, Hiyori," he whispered against my lips. I hummed in appreciation and the fire from before was rekindled. He carefully maneuvered so our positions were changed and I was lying beneath him on the floor. He hitched up my thighs so he was settled between my legs. His hips rubbed against mine, and my body was on fire. His hands found the hem of my t-shirt, pushing it up my stomach. I gasped as his hands brushed my ribs and he let out a deep growl in his throat. We were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He seemed intent on ignoring it, but I pushed him away.

"Answer it. It might be a customer," I insisted, but he just moved to kissing my neck.

"I don't care. I'm busy. I'm a god. I can choose not to take calls if I don't want to," he mumbled, and I pushed him away begrudgingly after a few moments.

"Yato, answer the phone. Some gods maybe, but not you. I refuse to get in the way of your godly duties," I protested, and he sighed. He sat up so he was straddling me, and I blushed beneath him.

"Fine." He took the phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Yato, delivery god at your service… Oh hi Kazuma. You're what? You did? Well yes, I would like to help. You have Yukine? Good. I'll meet you there." He shut the phone, and I raised my eyebrow in question. "They have a lead on the god of calamity. So unfortunately I will actually have to go."

"That's fine. Duty calls," I assured him, propping myself up on my elbows. He stared down at me, longingly, before leaning in for another kiss. I moaned against the his lips, and he deepened it, pinning me back against the floor. My thoughts spun and it took me several minutes to get them clear again. "Yato, you need to go."

"Mind if I come over later?" he asked against my lips, and I shook my head.

"You're always welcome here," I assured him, and he smiled, though still kissing me. He didn't seem wanting to let up any time soon. When his hands started moving up my stomach again, I pushed him away. "Go. We'll have plenty of time for this later."

"So I'm forgiven?" he asked, and I nodded. He reluctantly rose to his feet and helped me up. I walked him over to the door.

"See you later. Be safe, please," I pleaded, and he nodded, grabbing a quick kiss before leaving. It felt so normal. So perfectly, wonderfully, beautifully mundane. It reminded me of my father and mother, all the times she sent him off to work. Though, Yato's work was much more dangerous. I prayed for him to be okay, before finishing and cleaning up after dinner.

I spent the rest of the evening working on classwork and texting Hagiwara and Kofuku. Kofuku offered to come hang out, but I didn't know what time Yato would be home, so I took a rain check. Around 10pm, I took a bath before climbing into bed in my pyjamas. I hoped he was okay. I hadn't heard from him all evening. I told Kofuku to call me if she heard any news. While I was worried, I was soon drifting off to sleep.

I was woken a while later by a soft thud near my window. I glanced up to see Yato climbing in. He tried to be quiet in order to let me sleep and jumped in surprise when he saw me awake and watching him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he apologized, but I shook my head. I moved over in the bed to make some space, motioning for him to join me. He pulled off his boots before crawling in.

"No, it's all right, I don't mind," I assured him, leaning in for a quick kiss. He let out a deep breath, almost like a sigh relief at my kiss, and I wondered how the rest of the evening went. I allowed him to kiss me for a moment to relieve the tension in his limbs, before I drew away. He smiled at me adoringly as he stroked his thumb along my bottom lip. I blushed under his gaze. "Did you catch him?"

"No, unfortunately not, but we have a better idea of what he's capable of," he admitted, and I reached up, grabbing his hand in mine.

"Don't worry, Yato, I'm sure you'll get him. Once you set your mind on something, you never give up," I encouraged, and he smiled.

"Right now, my mind is set on you," he mused. He leaned forward and kissed me on the tip of the nose. "Now you have to go to bed, you have work in the morning."

I yawned and nodded. I mumbled a goodnight as I curled up against his chest. Yato held me tightly, and it felt nice to have him back in my life. I couldn't believe that I had met the god of love. He wasn't very loving. Also, what did the red thread mean exactly? These are the thoughts that circled through my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up alone in bed. I stretched out, expecting to bump into Yato, but instead found cool sheets. I sat up and rubbed my eyes sleepily. I heard the banging of pots from my kitchen and rolled out of bed. I headed out into the kitchen and saw Yato humming to himself as he cooked. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Awe, I was going to surprise you in bed," he protested, and I smiled.

"That's alright, you can surprise me now," I assured him. He turned around and leaned down, kissing me softly.

"Good morning Hiyori."

"Good morning Yato. How'd you sleep?" I asked, leaning against the counter next to him as he got back to cooking our food.

"Better than I have in months. Thanks to you." My heart fluttered, and I smiled. "So what's on your schedule for today?"

"Well, some of us have jobs, you know," I teased, and he clutched his chest, faking a wound. "But after work, I was thinking of meeting up with Kofuku. It's been a while since I've seen her. We need some girl time."

"Darn, I was hoping to have more Yato and Hiyori time," he sniffled, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"We'll get plenty of 'us time' later tonight, I promise," I mused, and he smiled at me. Once he finished breakfast, we sat at the table to eat.

"How's Yukine doing? I haven't had much of a chance to see him either," I admitted, frowning.

"He's good. He fell behind on his schoolwork. Says I'm a bad teacher. He'd be happy to have you back. Daikoku tried to help him out a bit, but he hasn't been in school in so long, that Yukine is teaching him more than the other way around. How's your school going?"

"Well, I'm on the road to being a teacher. I haven't quite decided which subjects to teach yet. I like math, but I wouldn't mind doing some language studies either. Maybe I could get my degree to teach both. I signed up for a program to be a teacher's assistant at one of the local high schools. It'll be a great opportunity for me," I explained, and he nodded, his eyes admiring. We made small talk throughout the rest of breakfast before I got ready for work while Yato cleaned up. He walked me to the Pet Store before giving me a peck on the cheek and leaving for Kofuku's.

Everything felt a little brighter today. Yato was not only back in my life, but we had also chosen to take the leap. I would have to sit down with him and discuss the terms of this relationship, though. This world was new to me, the world of dating, and I couldn't just look up relationship advice when dating a god on the internet. It would be a good discussion point for girl talk tonight. Yato texted me periodically throughout the work day, telling me he was thinking of me or that he loved me or that he had a great idea for a date. My mom called to tell me she had to cancel dinner on Sunday because they were going to a banquet. I would never be able to introduce my parents to my boyfriend. They would think I just developed into an old spinster, never having dated or tried to marry.

The thought of growing old caused a chill to move up my spine. How would the aging thing work? Would I continue growing old while Yato stayed young? Would I be an old woman while he continued to be a young, fit god? That wouldn't do… I couldn't think of a solution, though. We would only have a good decade or so before I would be uncomfortable with the age gap… I was stressed as I left work thinking about it. When I got home, Yato was waiting at the door. He seemed to sense my tension because he eyed me critically.

"Is everything okay, Hiyori?" he asked. I was a bit hesitant to tell him my thoughts. Had he considered it? He had to have. What if he couldn't handle the fact that I aged? What if this was only temporary? The thought nearly broke my heart.

"Yato, I'm going to grow old," I began, opening the door to my apartment. He furrowed his brow.

"Yes, it's a very human thing to do," he agreed, and I sighed.

"Yato, one day I'm going to be really old… and I'm going to die," I continued, and he drew in a sharp breath. I leaned against the wall and turned towards him. He left a bit of space between us, though his eyes were locked with mine.

"I know that."

"You've been around a long time. I'm going to age, and one day, I'm just going to be too old-looking for you." He didn't answer as he walked over to me. He rested his elbows on either side of my head, so he was inches from me. I stared into his blue eyes which softened at my words.

"Hiyori, I love you. Not just the you standing before me today, but every you that will come after. For the next fifty plus years, I want nothing but you."

"I'm going to get wrinkly and achy and cranky."

"And I will do all of those things with you. You know gods have the ability to turn on and off the aging cycle. This was a good age back when I was first starting off as a god so I've kept it this way, but I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to die with you," he explained, and I blushed.

"You can age?"

"Yes, I can become a crotchety old man right next to you. Once we get to a certain age, I'll resolve my contract with Yukine and we'll spend the rest of our days together. I've thought this through. I already know I don't want to exist in a world without you. I don't plan to. I want to be by your side from today until the day that we both die."

The weight of his words hit me. He was giving up eternity to be with me. He wanted to do this. I felt guilty. He wouldn't be coming back. He would die. The god Yato would no longer exist. What if I wasn't worth it? What if it didn't work out between us and he gave it all up for nothing? I know we had been friends for years, so it was different from the relationships Yami was always in and out of, but how could he be so sure?

"Are you sure I'm what you want? Are you sure I'm worth the sacrifice of eternity?" I asked, and he smiled. He leaned forward and kissed me. The kiss was sweet and longing and he pulled out of it too early. My body tremored with a zing and desired for more.

"I've never been more sure of anything my life. Now go change and grab your things. I'll be walking you over to Kofuku's before us boys go have a boy's evening out," he urged, stepping back and motioning towards my bedroom. I nodded and quickly closed the bedroom door behind me to change. I was just much more relieved after our conversation. I was slightly discouraged at his plan of growing old and dying with me,(Just) because of the idea of Yato dying. But I realized how incredibly human that was. I mean, I had planned to grow old and die with him. Maybe everything would be okay.

When I walked out of the bedroom, he smiled at me, kissing me once more, passionately against the door frame, before leading me to Kofuku's. I chastised myself for worrying so much. Yato may sometimes be an idiot, but his feelings rang true. I thought about the red thread tying us to one another. The strongest bond in the universe. Even death wouldn't be able to separate us.


End file.
